Friday, June 06, 2008

Three minutes to breathe...I have literally been slammed to the point of annihilation at work for the past three months with no real apparent end in sight. However, I wanted to get a fresh post up here for you all to start talking football.

Will I get to my annual, team-by-team epics this summer? Doubtful. I do promise some sort of preview though - between work, golf, 4th grade tournament basketball, and summer vacations!

Meantime, start the fodder... or join the pair that already tried to fan the smoldering grasses...

Welcome back, Andy. Glad you are not in a hospital or some other catastrophe. I am afraid that my Boilers will struggle even to return to the Motown Bowl. With Central Michigan, Oregon and a probably improved Notre Dame on the non-conference schedule, 3-1 is possible but 2-2 more likely. Though I am relieved that we miss IL and WI, Ohio State at the Shoe is beyond hope and it will take a sizable upset to beat Michigan, Penn State or Michigan State. I THINK that the Boilers can beat Minnesota and IU with Iowa and Northwestern as toss-ups. Bottom line, we probably will be 5-7 or 6-6 with 4-8 almost as likely as 7-5 and safe passage to a bowl.

Big Ten-wide, Ohio State looks dominant yet AGAIN (doesn't it ever get old) and is likely to be the only BCS bowl team from the conference. Wisconsin and Penn State appear to be the best of the rest with Illinois, Michigan and Michigan State having excellent chances at going bowling. I think one, maybe two of Iowa, Northwestern and Purdue will also qualify for bowls--just not sure which.

Fortunately, basketball is MUCH more encouraging. Though Martin's departure reduces frontcourt depth, Purdue along with Ohio State, Wisconsin and perhaps the Spartans have to be the favorites to be Big Ten champions. Minnesota and maybe Michigan and Illinois have chances to reach the NCAAs as the league should be stronger in general. IU probably has about a two-year trip to the wilderness coming, but Crean is good enough that the Hoosiers will be back in contention by the 2012 presidential elections.

TheFinalScore

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